Keeley Morris from our Rotaract Club of Barwon spoke to us about her time at RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Award) who went from the bright light of Cobden to the serenity of Kangaroobie to explore the meaning of leadership and the value of values and visions.

The activities over 6 days in small and large groups included goal setting, motivational activities and group reflections with much openness and self-analysis, team building and mutual support.

Keeley's talk once again demonstrated the high calibre of our Rotaractors and the excellent program which RYLA represents in our District which is founded on great RYLA leaders, committed Rotarians and very motivated participants, like Keeley.

Keeley reminded us that small things making a difference to others become big things that make a difference in the community.

Keeley was an excellent choice for RYLA and represented our Club with distinction, as have all our Rotaractor Rylarians and indeed all those young people over the years selected and sponsored by our Club to attend RYLA.

Adrian Innes reminded us that 15 to 18 October is the Geelong Show and it will be all hands to the hamburgers as we Sizzle for Service and Fry in Friendship.

 

Committee meetings this month (next week , 11 August) will be at AGB in Barwon Terrace (end of Yarra Street and turn left) plus Club Runner training - with food courtesy of Rotaract and BYO lap top.

 

Janine reminded us that we need Working With Children Checks for contact with our Exchange students. The application is done on line and you need a photo and 100 ID points and the applications can be done on 11 August committee meetings at AGB.

 

Those members who have not as yet completed, signed and returned to the Club Secretary the Consent to Publication forms distributed in June are asked to do so.

 

This year’s lecture will be presented by Prof. Sara Charlesworth, who will speak on the crisis affecting young people particularly in rural cities, both in terms of the availability and quality of employment.

This is a serious problem for cities, such as Geelong, where youth unemployment is almost double the national levels.

This problem has significant implications for families with children.

The date: Sunday 23^rd August  2.00 pm at the Wesley Centre, 100 Yarra St Geelong.

Note: Ken Nall was a member of the Rotary Club of Geelong and our District Governor in 1985-86. 

 

Africa’s 54 countries have overcome major challenges to protect children against polio, including insecurity and reaching children in remote areas. The continent’s last case of wild poliovirus was reported on 11 August 2014 in Somalia. In 2004, just 10 years earlier, the disease afflicted more than 12,600 Africans, accounting for 74 percent of all cases worldwide.

Rotary, along with its partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, has played an important role in this progress, which has us approaching the one-year milestones in Nigeria and all of Africa. Rotary has donated $688.5 million to fight polio in Africa, including nearly $207.3 million in Nigeria. Rotarians also have dedicated their time and personal resources, immunizing children, donating and raising funds, mobilizing community support, and engaging governments in the cause.

Rotarians everywhere are looking with great anticipation for Africa to “soon celebrate a milestone that once seemed unthinkable: one year without a single case of polio,” says RI President K.R. Ravindran.

Funding, political commitment, partnerships, and sustained high immunization coverage are needed to finish the job in Nigeria and all of Africa. As recently as 11 June, Rotary granted $19 million to support polio eradication efforts in Africa, including $10 million for Nigeria alone. By continuing to support the final push to eradicate polio, we can ensure that future generations of children are free of this devastating disease. 

 

Committee chair David Sykes advised us that the Committee’s Membership Strategic Plan includes an overall goal of increase in membership from 54 to 61 by 30 June 2018 at an average of three per year taking into account attrition of no more than 6 over the three years and an average of 2 per year.

There will be a focus on diversity and gender balance and planning joint projects with other community groups.

Flexibility of attendance will be investigated, noting that the Rotary Club of Belmont has flexible attendance requirements.

Web Master Tony Alsop will continue with this role in 2015/16 and the use of Club Runner and Facebook will be promoted and, together with the PR Committee, assistance in new media will be provided to our club members.

 

If you’re a krill-seeker and you don’t mind only 24 hours prior notice, you could find yourself on your way to Warrnambool as Graeme Fleet (The Prince of Whales?) may whale have some spare seats for this event....register your interest with Graeme.

 

Chris Adam is the Menu Man and invites our comments on the food past, preferences and no-goods as useful input for the weekly meeting eating planning with Buckleys in the first half of the new Rotary year.

 

Sophie gave her first talk in preparation for her exchange to Wyoming.

Sophie is a Belmont High School student who lives in Grovedale and is looking forward to her adventure next year.

 

Sue Hill is our welfare officer and we need to keep Sue informed if we hear of members, partners and families who could do with a call, a card and a kind word.

 

Congratulations to our Rotaractor Brendan Holland on 2 fronts - his doctorate and an award for his volunteer work with disabled people.

 

Number present: 30

Silent: None

Attendance percentage: 61.22

Apologies: Bill Bailey and Alan Backwell, Simon Cavenett, Harrie Farnaby, Anna Fletcher, Jonathan Hepner, Warren Norton and Andrew Thornton.

Leave of Absence: Keith Dawson, Stan Deans, Pam Dolley, Peter Funston, Bryan and Angela Humphrey, Colin McElhinney, John Smith and Ross Taylor.

Make Ups: None received for this week.